


Eject The Pilot

by Havanar



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adam/Shiro (Voltron) Break Up, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asexual Shiro (Voltron), Au where you give your life over to an algorithm, Demisexual Shiro (Voltron), Endgame Sheith, Inspired by Black Mirror, Jaith Break Up, M/M, Matchmaking, Minor Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Online Dating, Sex is discussed but not depicted, Shadam Break Up, Soulmates, but there is sex, minor James/Keith, use of homophobic language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 22:25:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17312969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Havanar/pseuds/Havanar
Summary: Coach is a location-based social search mobile app that matches users to potential soulmates. Coach collects reactions to potential partners to provide the system with valuable information on preferences and personality traits. Coach will eventually match users to their ultimate match with a 99.8% match rate.Keith & Shiro have both entered the system to find their ultimate match, but something keeps pulling them to one another, even after the system decides that they're not an ultimate match.





	1. 12 HOURS

**Author's Note:**

> Please read the tags! This fic will feature James/Keith and Shiro/Adam as interludes between Shiro/Keith in the next chapters.

“Coach, which one is he?” Keith asks in a low voice, holding the phone as close to his face as possible.

The restaurant is nice, nicer than anywhere he’d normally dine anyway.

“Table 7.” His Coach App replies, just as Keith makes eye contact with the man in question.

He has broad shoulders and dark hair, the sides shaved into an undercut that Keith can already see himself running his hands through.

The man catches his eye, gives a shy wave which Keith returns.

His name is Shiro, Keith learns as their food arrives. Shiro’s is macaroni cheese. Keith receives some kind of stew.

The conversation falters as Keith picks up his fork. The awkwardness surrounding them as Shiro begins eating. He can hear the chatter of other couples around him, can hear table 8 discussing a woman's cat. He can see over Shiro’s shoulder that table 6 are gazing into one another's eyes intensely.

The clatter as Shiro drops his fork brings Keith back to table 7 and the man in front of him.

“First time on the system?” Keith asks as Shiro receives a new fork, the waiter blending back into the background before Keith's eyes had really registered him.

“Yeah.” Shiro replies.

“Same here.” They share a smile. Keith realises that Shiro’s cheeks are tinged red. his small smile is endearing and the tension seems to break with that realisation.

“It makes you feel a bit uneasy, doesn’t it?” Shiro asks.

Keith nods. “Being paired with a random stranger by a computer isn’t something I ever saw myself doing.” Because he hadn’t. He can’t see himself giving up control, to a computer of all things.

“But at the end we’ll find our ultimate match.”

“Yeah.”

After that the conversation turns to the more mundane. Shiro reveals that he works as a pilot, that he wants a happy, brightly lit, home to return to after a long haul flight. Keith even finds himself snickering as Shiro confessed that he couldn’t cook.

“You mean you want a good housewife?” Keith asks through his laughter.

“It’s a pro if they can cook.” Shiro had responded, his own face betraying a smile. “Can you cook?”

Keith had laughed even harder. “You’re not here for your ultimate match, you’re here for your ultimate chef.”

It’s as they finish their dessert that Shiro asks the burning question. The one that’s been at the back of Keith’s mind since he sat down.

“Well, should we check our expiry date?”

He’s blushing again, hand reaching for his phone. Keith does the same.

“Yeah.” He breathes out as Steely grey eyes meet his own.  
  
“3..2..” He counts down, and on one they tap.

12 HOURS. Stares back up at Keith. He snatches a glance at Shiro, still looking at his own phone.

11 HOURS 59 MINUTES. It reads now.

“That’s short.” Shiro says, giving Keith a grin. He looks disappointed Keith thinks. He hopes.

“I guess we’d better make it worth it.” Keith can’t help but say. Shiro grins back at him.

“I guess so.”

 

* * *

 

The car takes them to a house on the edge of the desert. It’s a long drive. Keith hadn’t even realised there was a desert here. He spends most of the drive looking at Shiro’s face. It’s beautiful, he can’t get enough of it.

The door to the house unlocks with a touch, inside is nice. Cosy and tidy.

“I wish my apartment would stay this tidy” Shiro says as he drops onto the bed.

The bed. Singular.

The implication isn’t lost on Keith.

 

* * *

 

Keith takes a shower first. The sound of water hitting the floor creates a cover for Shiro as he whispers into his phone.

“What am I supposed to do? There’s only one bed”

“You are not required to do anything.” The Coach App replies.

“Yes, but, do people… usually?” He asks, blush creeping up his neck.

Because there’s only one bed. And he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off Keith all night. First it had been the angle of his chin, shiro would risk cutting himself on that. Then his neck, much too pale in Shiro’s opinion, he wonders what kind of marks he could make bloom there.

“The system does not make any moral judgements.” Coach replies in the same brash tone and Shrio slams his phone down in frustration.

 

* * *

 

Keith, shower fresh, hair still dripping slightly pierces Shiro’s heart in a new way. It looks longer out of the messy ponytail Keith had tied it into for their date. Shiro is distracted by how much he wants to trace his hands through it as Keith takes a seat next to him, looking at the prosthetic between them.

“Can I touch it?” He asks.

Shiro lets out the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding. He’d hoped Keith hadn’t noticed the metal hand hiding under his jacket.

But he turns his hand, palm up, and offers it to Keith.

He hears a small intake of breath next to him, but he refuses to look at Keith’s face. He doesn’t need to see the look of horror he’s so used to.

“This is amazing.” Keith says, gripping Shiro’s hand in both of his, moving his fingers slightly. “Can you feel this?” He asks and Shiro’s eyes move to his face.

Keith’s gaze is fixed on his hand. He’s wearing an expression Shiro would expect of a child, seeing the ocean for the first time. The awe glimmering in his eyes, the understanding of something vast, almost unintelligible.

“Yeah.” He breathes out. “Just the pressure. Nothing else.”

“Amazing.” Keith whispers.

 

* * *

 

Shiro never finds out if he and Keith were actually meant to do anything with their 12 hours. They spend the late hours talking in hushed voices. Shiro learns that Keith is a mechanic. That he likes making things work, making them click. He learns that he invents, in his spare time. He also learns that Keith kisses like the world is ending. That his hands like to perch in Shiro’s hair and he can’t help grinning into the kiss a little, because Keith beat him to it.

 

* * *

 

“So,” Shiro says. “Your ultimate match?” It’s well into the early hours of the morning now. They’ve been bouncing between talking and making out, with the odd wondering hand on Shiro’s part. He’d pushed Keith down, into the bed, and kissed him as hard as he could, as if he could trap him. Here. Forever. He's aware that this isn't like him. That he's never really been attracted to someone like this. But he brushes it off. Because Keith is looking at him. They’re lying side by side now. Keith’s lips are a deep red, he can’t help his eyes, tracing them, as Keith answers.

“My ultimate match.” Keith echos, looking into Shiro’s eyes.

Shiro’s spent most of the night trying to decide if Keith’s eyes are blue or purple.

“What do you think they’ll be like?” Shrio prompts. Because there has to be a reason that Keith’s here. Doing this crazy thing.

Keith blinks back at him. Shiro watches as his pupils dart up, retrieving the information. They’re only inches apart, but Shiro acts on the urge to reach out for Keith. His hand, the mechanical one, finds his hip and begins rubbing small circles.

“Kind.” Keith says after a while. Eyes not meeting Shiro’s. His fingers keep up the ministrations on Keith’s hip, relaxing him into the conversation. He doesn’t know why touching Keith, talking to Keith, baring his heart and soul to Keith had been so easy after just a few hours. Maybe the system really was that good. If Keith isn’t his ultimate match… _then what’s waiting?_ The thought doesn’t have a chance to full form before Keith speaks again.

“Someone who’ll stand by me. Whatever.”

Shiro’s eyes search Keith’s when they meet again. He could do that. Would do that. He knows he would. But he’s not Keith’s true match.

“That sounds nice.” Is all he gives in answer. Leaning in towards Keith again. They only have a few hours left, after all.

They don’t go any further, but Shiro wakes the next morning with Keith’s hand in his, his body turned to Shiro’s like a sunflower turning towards the sun.

He reaches for his phone, Coach App.

30 MINUTES. It reads.

 

* * *

 

There are two cars waiting when they leave the house. Keith’s hair has a slight curl to it early in the morning. Shiro can’t help but take a curl between his fingers. Keith blushes as Shiro tucks it behind his ear.

“W-well.” He pushes out, “I guess this is it.”

“Yeah.” Shiro replies. Solemn.

It had felt right with Keith. Safe. Like they’d met, a hundred, a thousand times before.

Keith startles as their phones begin to beep. Pulling his own out between them.

30 SECONDS.

“So, we just say goodbye, and that’s it?” Keith asks. He looks how Shiro feels. Disappointed. Confused. _Why end it here if they had worked so well?_

The beeps are loud. _Are they getting quicker?_ Shiro wonders. He can feel his heart pumping in his chest. echoing each beep as he looks at Keith. Big, beautiful blue eyes. Eyebrows pulled together in something Shiro can’t quite place. So he places his hands on Keith’s face. Pulls him in for one last slow kiss. And Keith melts into it, leaning into him as the beeps continue. They’re still kissing when the house clicks locked behind them, one of Keith’s hands had made it’s way to cover Shiro’s

“Relationship terminated.” The Coach App's on their phones state in unison as they pull away. Their hands stay locked.

“Please vacate the premises.” It continues.

Keith begins to move away, their arms stretching between them, their hands still connected.

“Please vacate the premises.” The App repeats.

“I guess I’ll see you around.” Keith says.

“Yeah.”

Their hands stay reached out until the last possible moment. Until Keith pulls away, and Shiro’s hand falls back to his side.


	2. 10 MONTHS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features Adam/Shiro & James/Keith, if you're not comfortable reading but are still interested in the story please skip to the end notes for a summary. (Next chapter will have Shiro/Keith I promise).  
> Chapter also features some homophobic language (gay being used as an insult)

  
“12 hours is too short.” Shiro says to the Coach App.

“Even your reaction to a brief encounter provides the system with valuable information.” Coach replies as Shiro turns off the treadmill.

_'alories burned: 240'_ flashes on the screen before it powers down.

“But he could’ve been the one.” He says back to his phone. He knows Coach isn’t a real person, that it’s silly to treat an AI like a friend. But he doesn’t exactly have any friends to discuss this with.

“Your ultimate compatible other has not yet been selected.” Coach replies. Shiro closes the app in frustration, switching his phone for a towel.

 

* * *

 

Keith is shopping the next time his phone chimes. He pulls it out immediately and the Coach app greets him.

“Another relationship.” It says in that annoyingly chirpy female voice.

“That was quick.” He mutters to himself, swiping up to see the meeting time had already been set. He leaves the store in a hurry, dropping his basket at the entrance.

He can’t remember what he was there to buy anyway.

 

* * *

 

Coach sends him to the same place he met Shiro. _Table 5_. His app tells him and Keith finds himself sliding into a booth opposite a handsome man with sharp features and dark brown hair.

_Not bad._ Keith thinks to himself, taking in the man's muscle. He seems tall, but Keith won’t be able to tell until he stands up.

“James.” The man introduces himself. Offering Keith a hand, which he takes hesitantly. James’ handshake is strong. Much stronger than Keith’s. He never really understood the whole handshake thing anyway.

“Keith.” He offers.

“Nice to meet you.” James says as their food arrives. Keith is greeted with pasta this time, and he can’t help but think of Shiro as he picks up his fork. And then he notices James watching him. He puts it back down.  _Awkward._ _Does he want to say a prayer?_ He wonders  _Is he one of those people?_

“We should check our expiration date.” Is all James says. Keith breathes a small sigh of relief and grabs his phone. He catches James’ eye somewhere along the way, catches his smirk.

“You thought I was going to say something worse, didn’t you?” James asks, the smirk paints his face in a new light, Keith rises to it.

“Thought you were gonna be one of those devout religious types.” He replies before opening the Coach app. James snorts.

“Okay, in 3…2…”

They activate it at the same time.

SIX MONTHS. Flashes on the screen.

Keith can’t help his mouth falling open, just a little. He’d thought, after Shiro, the relationships might gradually get longer. Not jump to whole months, not six months. Not half a year of his life. He glances back up to James, who is already putting his phone down and picking up his own fork.

James catches his eye. “Not the longest I’ve had.” He says before taking a mouthful.

 

* * *

 

It isn’t long before Shiro finds himself opposite a new potential match. He introduces himself as Adam as he stands up to greet Shiro. They stand almost equal height. He wears glasses and looks as nervous as Shrio feels.

“It’s my first time, in the system.” He confesses as they sit down opposite one another.

“It’s only my second.” Shiro replies with what he hopes is a reassuring smile and Adam lets out what looks like a sigh of relief, meeting Shiro’s eyes again.

“What was it like?” He asks, leaning forward slightly. Shiro feels the warmth on his face before he’s even reminded of Keith’s face.

“It was amazing.” Shiro says. “And he wasn’t even my ultimate match.” Adam seems satisfied with his answer, leaning back into the plush seats of their booth.

Shiro learns, very quickly, that Adam says what’s on his mind. He likes that. He learns that he and Adam share a profession. Learns that Adam is career orientated, he wants to be a flight instructor one day.

“You could have your own flight school.” Shiro offers, after maybe one too many glasses of wine.

“I’d need other instructors for that.” Adam says over the top of his bottle of beer. “A partner.”

Shiro blushes.

 

* * *

 

It’s not until their dessert is taken away that Adam brings up their expiry date. He says it matter-of-factly, adding “We should check now, so that we know.” as his justification.

Shiro gives him a smile as he pulls his phone out. He can read through the lines. Adam is anxious, anxious about the whole thing, anxious about asking.

“We both have to activate it at the same time.” Shiro tells him, opening up the page. Adam does too. “3…2…”

TEN MONTHS. Flashes back at him and he gives a little gasp. He’d honestly expected another 12 hours. Maybe a day. A week, pushing it. But 10 months? He was able to imagine 10 years with Keith, but with Adam? He isn’t so sure. He schools his face into something manageable, pushing the shock away before Adam can notice. After all, they’re going to be spending the next 10 months together.

“10 months…” Adam whispers, eyes finally meeting Shiro’s.

“Please be kind to me.” Shiro smiles back, Adam blushes.

_It can’t be all bad,_ he thinks.

 

* * *

Keith and James fall into easy conversation.

They argue on the way to their accommodation, but there’s no fire behind it. Argument for arguments sake. Keith suggests that there’s something behind the walls, reaching as far as the sky that surround their city. James shoots him down, "If there was anything worth seeing beyond them we'd be able to leave" he says. Next James doesn’t believe Keith that the cars are self driving. Not until they pull to a stop and he leans into the tinted window to see for himself. After that he becomes disgruntled, pouty. Keith finds it kind of endearing.

“I guess, we should shower?” He asks after they’ve got the lay of what will be their home for the next sixth months. It’s identical to the one he stayed in with Shiro. “They’re all identical” James had said. But Keith had insisted. Just in case.

“If you say so, Mr. Always-Right.” James replies, dropping onto the sofa and undoing a button on his collar.

James must catch him looking, because he raises his eyebrows. His lips trail up in a half smirk.  
“Or maybe you can let me be right, this time?” He asks and suddenly Keith is all ears, frozen in his spot by James’ gaze. As if James is Medusa, and Keith is his prey.

“We should have sex.” James says bluntly. Keith doesn’t flinch, at least, not externally.

“If we wait we’ll both build it up into something big in our heads. We’ll get anxious, we’ll get angry.” James continues, keeping his warm brown eyes fixed on Keith’s. “Doing it on the first night…” He says, reaching for a second button. “It makes it easier.”

Keith watches, mesmerised as James continues to pull the buttons open to reveal toned muscles. Power behind a slim build. _He’s not wrong_  Crosses his mind. If they don’t it’ll become A Thing. And he, sort of, maybe, regrets not going all the way with Shiro.

James must see the hungry way he’s looking at him. Must see the indecision biting at his heels.

“So, c’mere” He says, reaching out a hand. Keith crosses the room in an instant, like a magnet drawn to metal, intertwining their fingers in a second. James wastes no time in pulling him down onto his lap. Keith wastes no time in leaning in to plant kisses along his collarbone.

 

* * *

 

Shiro’s surprised when Adam suggests they have sex. It had been sudden. Over dinner. Nonchalant, like it’s nothing. Like sex doesn’t mean anything. _Maybe it doesn’t._ He wonders. _Not to Adam anyway._ It’s been a week since they matched. A week since they met, moved into their accommodation. Their home for the next ten months.

“Isn’t it a bit too soon?” Shiro asks, nervously. He’s not adverse to sex. He knows that. But so suddenly? So soon?

“Isn’t it a bit late?” Adam counters calmly. Shiro sinks back in his chair. “Sex is an important part of a relationship.” He continues, and Shiro feels, not for the first time, that there’s something between them. He knows that he doesn’t feel like that. Knows he could forgo sex for the rest of his life. That sex is about the emotions for him. Not hormones and chemistry like it is for so many others.

“Is it important to you?” He asks, as evenly as he can. There’s a reason they’ve been matched for ten months. There must be something between them.

Adam takes another bite of their meal. Shiro had cooked tonight. Well, the microwave had cooked. Shiro had operated the microwave. It’s mac and cheese, his favourite, but he can’t bring himself to eat anymore right now.

“I guess so.” Adam finally says, meeting Shiro’s eyes over the table. He’s not entirely sure about Adam either. There’s something he’s holding back, Shiro can tell. He notices the way he never fully relaxes when they’re at home (except for when Adam doesn’t think he’s looking). The way his shoulders never sag. The way he never fully relaxes into their couch.

Shiro looks away, begins to fiddle with his thumb, the one on his mechanical hand. He noticed a few days ago that it moves in different ways to his flesh one. Adam isn’t pushing. He knows that. Knows that he can say no. Knows that if anything happens, and he hasn’t consented through Coach a guard will come running.

“Or we can wait.” Adam says, pulling Shiro back into the evening. “If that’s not what you want.” He’s still looking at Shiro. But it’s not accusatory. There’s worry lining his eyebrows, and something else Shiro can’t quite figure out.

“I’d prefer that.” Shiro says and they leave it at that.

 

* * *

 

Keith learns that living with James isn’t easy. The sex is great. He can’t deny that they whatever happens when they get into bed is amazing, makes him feel amazing.

But James is like kindling, ready to burn and Keith is like a spark. Keith knows he isn’t picking fights for the sake of it, knows that sometimes James sets it up so that he has to argue.

Keith is pulling his hair into place the next time James sets down the petrol. He's styling it so that it looks just right, he's going for the windswept look.

“God Keith, you’re so gay. Hurry up” James mutters from the door and Keith feels the spark within him rise up.

“Excuse you?” He asks, words pushing their way out of him. 

“What?” James replies, just as quickly.

Keith’s hands drop from his hair, turning on his chair until he can face James. “Yes, I’m gay and I’m getting ready.” He says, voice taking on a cool tone. He’s dealt with bullies before. “Do you take issue with that?”

“Woah, calm down, princess.” James says. “I just want you to hurry up.”

“You don’t need to be homophobic about it.” Keith retorts, giving up on his hair and pulling it into a harsh ponytail, so tight it hurts a little before turning back to the mirror.

_Don’t get into a fight. Don’t get into a fight._ Fills his head. _Not today, of all days._

James just groans. “Come on Keith, it was just a comment. I like boys too, I can say that. Hurry up, we’re going to be late.”

But Keith doesn’t move. Stays rooted to his seat and opts instead to grab his eyeliner. _That’ll annoy him._ Goes through his mind as he starts to apply it, leaning in closer to the mirror. He knows that James isn’t, entirely comfortable, with guys, with him. James had admitted pretty early on that Keith was the second guy he’d ever been matched with. The first had been a one night stand. Keith is pretty sure that he’s still hiding some part of himself to the rest of the world. That he still hates some part of himself. And he doesn’t want to be the one to unpack that. He’d tried at first but James hadn't changed and Keith was tired of the comments.

James groans again. “I’ll be outside.” He shoots.

But they’ve been like this for a few weeks now. The first two months had been, amazing. Keith can’t deny it. Can’t deny that their honeymoon phase had been filled with Tender touches, whispered conversations, mind blowing sex. Eventually little things that James did had started to annoy him. The way he cleared his throat way too often. The fact that he refused to do the dishes until there were none left. His mean comments, muttered under his breath like he couldn’t restrain them, were the worst of all. Everything else Keith could have lived with, for six months.

 

* * *

 

Over the months Shiro learns that Adam is kind. Adam is caring. But above all Adam is pragmatic. After Adam promises to take it slow he eventually consents via the coach app, to everything. And Adam leans in for a gentle kiss. Resting it just above his cheekbone, not the first, and definitely not the last.

“I’m proud of you, Takashi.” He whispers on the edge of Shiro’s lips. “We’ll go as slow as you need.” And Shiro opens for him, lets him take everything he needs from the kiss.

 

* * *

 

4 HOURS 58 MINUTES. Keith’s phone displays as he wakes up. He’d slept on the couch, again.

Good. He thinks, shutting the screen off. Things had turned sour with James after their five month mark. They’d stopped talking, as much as possible. Stopped touching long before. Keith had moved out of the bedroom a couple of weeks ago.

They spend the rest of the day they have apart, only reuniting at the 2 minute marker. Over the last month Keith had wondered if this is what would have become of him and Shiro. They’d only had one night together, but it had seemed perfect. Like a missing piece of his own soul had been reunited, and then taken away again. But he doesn’t have time to go down that route again, not as James takes his place next to Keith outside their accommodation.

“Thirty seconds minute remaining.” Coach says from somewhere in Keith’s pocket.

“Well,” he says, not quite meeting James’ eyes. “This is it.”

“This is it.” James replies coolly.

The phone begins to count down, beeping every second.

“Good luck.” Keith says, stale.

“You too.”

But Keith turns before James can even finish his sentence, heading for the car waiting for him.

Maybe his next match will be half what he had with Shiro.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's chapter feat: is this an AU or is this me working through my issues with online dating & sex?
> 
> Keith is paired with James for 6 months. They get on well, at first, and then things turn sour. Their relationship ends with them barely talking.  
> Shiro is paired with Adam for 10 months. They start off rocky, Shiro realises that sex isn't important to him and Adam accepts that. They're in a better place by the end of the chapter & have 4 months left of their relationship.


	3. 2 MONTHS

The restaurant becomes familiar thing to Keith. The big plush seats feel more like home than the pristine fake huts. He starts to recognise the faces of the waiters bringing food he didn’t ask for. Or maybe they just all look the same. He isn't entirely sure. he isn't entirely sure that he wants to know.

His phone had chimed just an hour ago, Coach’s voice ringing out loud and clear. “Another relationship.”

Keith is the first to arrive today. _12th time lucky._ He thinks to himself.

After James he’d been caught in a flurry of quick flings ranging from 12 hours to a week. Some of them had been nice. There had been strong guys who could make him forget how alone he was in this world, just for a night. Smart guys who treated him well but didn’t quite click. There’d even been a girl. That had been his shortest relationship. 4 hours. All she’d done was reaffirm that he was gay. Keith had shouted at Coach afterwards. Asked if it was trying to turn him straight, but Coach had just given the usual answer: “Even your reaction to a brief encounter provides the system with valuable information.”

Keith spots the guy who must be his match enter the restaurant. He’s tall, impossibly wide shoulders. _This is definitely becoming a pattern._ Keith thinks. Coach has already figured out a few of his preferred traits. But out of all the people he’s been matched with, Shiro is still his favourite.

The man catches his eye, Keith gives a brief wave, taking in his short messy dreadlocks. Keith also takes in his defined eyebrows, his strong jaw as he sits down.

He gives Keith a nod.

Keith nods back before holding out his hand. “Keith.” He offers.

“Ryan.” His match says as he shakes Keith’s hand lightly.

Ryan is quiet. But not uncomfortably quiet. He explains to Keith that he’s in the navy. Hoping to climb up the command ladder and Keith is impressed. They spend their meal discussing ships, Keith wonders if the navy would ever take him on as a mechanic.

“Should we check our expiration date?” Ryan asks as they’re leaving the restaurant.

“Oh, yeah that.” Keith mutters, pulling his phone out. He’d forgotten, been swept away in the easy conversation with Ryan.

Ryan does the same and they tap together.

2 MONTHS. Flashes back at them.

_Not bad._ Keith thinks.

“That’s the longest I’ve had yet.” Ryan confesses.

“Well, let’s make it worth it.” Keith says, pulling the car door open for him.

 

* * *

 

Shiro feels like he’s just settling in with Adam when it happens.

They’re invited to a career day, one of the many ‘Event Days’ Coach signs them up for. Shiro hadn’t been able to sit through the last one ‘What happens when you’re matched’ they’d called it. All it had done was remind him that Adam wasn’t his to keep, that Keith hadn't been either. He’d kept an eye out for Keith the whole time but they hadn’t bumped into one another.

Shiro is browsing a stall about the airforce. He knows how to fly. He’s been a pilot. _Maybe this is the next step?_ He wonders as someone steps up to the table next to him. Someone slim, with dark hair that doesn’t look like it’s grown an inch since Shiro last saw him.

“Keith?” He asks, turning so fast it hurts his neck.

Keith had already clocked him, of course he had, violet eyes meeting Shiro’s easily.

“Shiro.” He says, face lighting up like a firework in the night's sky. “How are you?”

“I’m” Shiro hesitates, for just a second. “I’m good.” He finally decides. Because he is. Things with Adam are going well, he knows their relationship will expire soon but for now, it’s good. “You?”

Keith shrugs. “Had a lot of one night stands.”

“That sucks.” Shiro finds himself saying. He’s not sure how he’d deal with that himself. A different person every night, never getting used to your own bed isn’t something he wants to experience.

“Yeah.” Keith replies, and Shiro looks at him, takes in the traces of bags under his eyes.

“Are you matched now?” He asks anxiously and Keith nods.

“Only two months, but it’s not too bad. What about you?”

“I’ve been with the same guy since our relationship ended actually.” He says. “I think we’ve got just over a month left?”

“Are things going… well?” Keith asks, looking up at him from under his bangs.

Shiro hasn’t been able to help comparing his time with Adam to his one night with Keith. One night with Keith had been magical. Had felt safe. Keith had picked his prosthetic up straight away. Adam had taken weeks, almost a month, to treat it like a normal limb. Keith had listened to his secrets. Keith had run his fingers through Shiro’s dark hair just the way he likes it without even being asked.

“They’re, okay.” He says.

“I’m glad.” Keith says, catching someones eye over Shiro’s shoulder. “Sorry Shiro.” He says, glancing back. “I should stick with my match.”

“Right, of course.” Shiro fumbles with the brochure he’d been reading. He isn’t sure if they should shake hands or hug. Last time they parted they had kissed, kissed like it was the end of the world. Adam has never kissed him like that.

Suddenly Shiro wants it, all over again. Wants any part of Keith he can get, so he reaches out, hand to shoulder, pulling Keith in. Keith comes in easily, slots against him like Shiro’s empty spaces were made to accommodate Keith. He gives him a quick squeeze before relinquishing his hold. It takes Keith a split second longer to let go. He’s blushing slightly, something on his face that Shiro can’t read.

“Good luck, Shiro.” He says before finding his way to his match. Shiro can’t help sneaking a peak as the guy Keith gravitates towards takes his hand, pulls it up for a soft kiss.

 

* * *

 

 

“Who were you hugging at the event?” Adam asks later as they’re on their way home. The accommodation he shares with Adam is closer to a town than the one he had shared with Keith was. Shrio doesn’t like it as much. He feels like he’s always being watched.

“Someone I matched with before.” Shiro replies, easily. But Adam has been stiff since they got back.

Adam remains cold for the rest of the night. He sleeps facing away from Shiro. Doesn’t even give him a kiss goodnight.

Shiro confronts him after two days of it. He can’t live in a House of cold shoulders and brooding. It makes him anxious, somewhere deep in his bones. He’s not sure why.

“Adam, what’s wrong?” He tries after clearing away breakfast. Adam is still in his seat so Shiro drapes his arms around his neck, trying to initiate something. Anything. He thought they’d crossed their final barrier after they had sex.

Adam remains still in his arms. Shiro’s arms feel uncomfortable all of a sudden. He pulls them back, moving into the seat opposite Adam.

“Adam, don’t shut me out, come on.” He says, as softly as he can. _We only have a month left._ Drifts through his mind. _Maybe Adam is worried about that. Maybe he’s shutting himself to avoid the inevitable pain._ Or maybe Shiro should just give up, _There is only one month left._

“Why are you hugging other people.” Adam asks.

“Keith?” Shiro can’t help the shock falling onto his face. _Adam is mad about Keith?_ “He’s my friend.” He says.

“He’s some guy you hooked up with for one night.”

“And I can’t be nice to my ex’s? I can’t hug someone I know?” Shiro can feel the rage heating in his chest. He feels like he’s been caught cheating, when he knows he hasn’t. Knows that this is ridiculous.

Adam stands up. His chair scraping loudly against the floor.

“I’m putting everything into this relationship Takashi.” He says Shiro’s first name like it’s an insult. Like he’s throwing the permission Shiro had given him to use it away.

“So am I.” Shiro replies. “But it doesn’t seem like we’re a good match.”

 

* * *

 

“Thanks, for everything.” Shiro says to Adam as they stand outside their home of ten months.

Adam reaches out for a hug, the Coach App on their phones already counting down the final 30 seconds. Shiro doesn’t lean in for it and it turns into a half pat, half hug.

Shiro turns without saying anything else.

“Goodbye, Shiro.” He hears Adam say as he gets into the car.

Adam hadn’t been the one. He’d been good, but Shiro would never be able to live with someone so rigid.

As soon as the house disappears from the window of the car Shiro pulls open the Coach App.

“What was the point of that?” He asks. He’s not angry, he’s just tired. Trying to love Adam was tiring, he feels strung out. In the worst way possible.

“Even your reaction to a brief encounter provides the system with-” Shiro shuts the app off before it can finish. He’s heard this one before.

 

* * *

 

Keith has noticed that the huts for matched pairs are all slightly different. The one he shares with Ryan is his favourite. The bedroom is a slightly darker shade of blue. It reminds him of the sky, just before a storm.

Hands find their way to his hips without Keith really registering the body behind him.

“It’s our last night together, beautiful.” Ryan whispers into his ear. Keith grins, leaning back to rest his head on his shoulder.

“Should we make it memorable?” He asks. Ryan gives him an easy grin back. Leaning in for a kiss.

 

* * *

 

Shiro’s phone seems to chime on a timetable after Adam. Every sunday to be precise. Each new partner is nice, charming, easy to talk to. But Shiro can’t quite give himself to them. Can’t quite talk to them with ease. All the relationships last a week, and by the end of each he still doesn’t feel settled in the accommodation they’ve been sharing.

He doesn’t give any of them his consent.

 

* * *

 

“Thank you.” Keith grins at Ryan as they stand outside their accommodation.

“I enjoyed the last two months, Keith.” Ryan replies, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.

The weird thing is, Keith can see himself staying with Ryan. Living a life with him. They get on well, they both enjoy being surrounded by the hum of machines. The sex was great. _But he’s not Shiro._ A voice reminds him.

And Shiro had set the bar so high.

**Author's Note:**

> I've literally been thinking of this AU for a year, I've written 3/5 chapters so far so expect quick updates!. Come scream at me on tumblr @ [Havanarr](http://havanarr.tumblr.com/)


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